Hello everyone. Before I get to the story, I would just like to apologize for my lack of activity with Thomas and the Tugs and Rangers to the Rescue. I regret to inform that for Rangers to the Rescue, I've had a bad case of writer's block; I know how to end it, it's the action leading to the ending that has been troubling. As for Thomas and the Tugs, I'm happy to announce that I will be releasing not one, but two chapters in the coming days, so stay tuned, I promise it will be worth the wait. In the mean time, enjoy this one-off story I wrote. "Skarloey the Brave" is one episode I am not particularly fond of... here is my adaption where Skarloey is in character, and a more probable explanation is developed for what happened.
Skarloey was in his shed waiting for his driver and fireman. He was told that he would be working at the quarry today, and he didn't want to be late.
"Driver and Fireman should have been here by now," Skarloey observed; he hoped that everything was all right. Just then, two young men came up to Skarloey.
"Hello there, we're looking for an engine called Skarloey."
"That would be me. How can I help you?"
"Well, we are your relief crew. Your driver has fallen ill and your fireman has a family emergency, so Mr. Sam sent us to take care of you for the day," the new driver explained.
"Ah. Well, we had better get started then; we are running late." Skarloey pointed out.
The driver and fireman got into the cab, and brought him to steam. Unfortunately for Skarloey, this relief crew was young and inexperienced, and were not familiar with the little old engine.
"Say, which is the reverser?"
"That one, I think."
"Don't be ridiculous, that one opens the firebox!"
"I think we're looking for the regulator, actually."
"Is this it?" The young driver pulled it.
"Ouch! Driver, what are you doing? That's my brake!" Skarloey shouted.
"Sorry, still trying to figure out these controls. Ah! here's the regulator." And Skarloey started off.
"Driver! You've got to whistle before starting off!" Skarloey warned, but the young crew were too busy trying to figure everything out to even pay attention to Skarloey.
"This day isn't going to go well," Skarloey thought.
The entire way to the quarry, Skarloey found himself randomly going fast, slow, braking and even losing steam at one point.
"Fireman! More coal!" Skarloey had to yell. In all his years, he never had such a poorly trained crew.
Eventually, they got to the quarry, where the manager told them to bring a load of trucks to the incline winch. Skarloey backed down onto the load of empty trucks and was coupled up. The driver backed down onto the winch area and the load of trucks was coupled.
"Now let's see... what was it? Two short whistles to let them know we are ready?" the inexperienced driver asked the fireman.
"I think so, go for it," the fireman replied.
Then there was trouble. They hadn't realized that they forgot to tell the nearby quarry worker to uncouple Skarloey from the trucks, and the next thing they knew, they were going up the incline with Skarloey!
"Ah! What's going on?" the driver asked.
"Jump!" replied the fireman. They jumped clear, leaving poor Skarloey to be pulled up the incline.
"Help!" cried the old engine, but it was no good, the full slate trucks going down the other side of the incline that were bringing the empty trucks up the incline were being pulled down by gravity, there was no way to stop it.
Skarloey was nearing the top of the Incline when SNAP! the cable broke!
"Oh no! Keep clear!" Skarloey yelled as he surged down the hill and rolled through the quarry. A quick thinking worker switched the points to direct Skarloey into a siding. Just then, there was a crash! Skarloey had made it into the siding, but he had crashed into three empty freight cars. Luckily, these had been deemed un-serviceable and were due to be broken up anyway. But Skarloey was dazed and confused.
The Thin Controller came as soon as he heard the news.
"I am so sorry for all of this, Sir," Skarloey said sadly.
"Cheer up Skarloey, this wasn't your fault. I should have known better than to have selected such an inexperienced crew for you, and they should have known the proper operating procedures. Fortunately, this winch was due to be replaced anyway, and your little accident here proves why it was necessary."
Rusty and Peter Sam came by to help clean up the mess. While Rusty prepared to take the broken trucks away, Peter Sam brought Skarloey to the Works.
"Skarloey, what's it like riding up the incline?" Peter Sam asked.
"Well Peter Sam, I will admit, there is a lovely view of the Quarry; but the danger involved with this kind of thing, I must tell you that an engine should never climb the incline winch; it is very dangerous, and it's a miracle no one was hurt," Skarloey replied.
Peter Sam smiled, "I guess it goes to show, an experienced engine is one thing, but it means nothing if there isn't a good crew behind him."
I hope you enjoyed this story. If you want to see more like it, head over to the forum I mention in my account description to see some other work done not just by me, but by other writers as well. Till next time fellow readers and writers.